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It's 90+ now and it's impossible to keep my water bottles even remotely cool. I don't know if there's any sort of insulated bottles that work or what, but there's got to be something else, other than a camel back? Ice cubes work for about 20 minutes. lol

try freezing half a bottle full of water the night before. then fill it up to the top when you go out for your ride. on hot days, i just freeze the whole bottle, and use an unfrozen bottle for the first half of the ride, and switch to the full frozen one after it's started melting.

Originally posted by Roadlearner It's 90+ now and it's impossible to keep my water bottles even remotely cool. I don't know if there's any sort of insulated bottles that work or what, but there's got to be something else, other than a camel back? Ice cubes work for about 20 minutes. lol

I use Polar water bottles. First, I fill them about 1/3 of the way with water, and freeze them. Then, I fill the balance either with cold water, a sports drink, or a combination. These bottles offer some insulation against the heat.

I do the same with my Camelbak. I fill it about 1/4 of the way, and freeze it. Then, I fill the rest with cold water when it's time to ride.

Here's a pic of the Polar Water bottles. They are available in a number of places on-line, or better yet, @ your LBS:

Originally posted by Roadlearner It's 90+ now and it's impossible to keep my water bottles even remotely cool. I don't know if there's any sort of insulated bottles that work or what, but there's got to be something else, other than a camel back? Ice cubes work for about 20 minutes. lol

When I got into serious cycling I tried many ways to keep my water cold. The only method that produced even minor success was freezing the bottles, as mentioned by a number of posters above.

In really hot weather I froze one full bottle and half of the second bottle, then topped it off with water when I began the ride.
This worked well until I began doing long rides, as the ice melted after 30 miles or so.

My bottles began cracking and splitting after about ten freezes and I soon tired of the hassle.

Any refills you pick up during your ride will likely be less than icy.

I to the same thing as Italia does. I time freeze them. I take 3 Polar bottles on medium rides and freeze one solid and that will last here in the desert 100+ degree heat for about 2 to 2.5 hours thus I drink that one last; the other bottle I freeze to a slush and that will last about 1.5 to 2 hours, then the final one I just fill with ice and it will last about 1 hour.

But therein lied my problem, I could not be out longer than about 2.5 hours because the water was warm and gone. So I finally caved in to buying a CamelBack 70oz Rogue 2 weeks ago. I tested it this Memorial day and placed 5 ice cubes in it and took the bottles that were full of ice (about a dozen cubes). The temperture that day did not exceed 85 so the water stayed cooler longer. But the weird thing was that the CamelBack with only 5 cubes stayed cooler far longer than the Polar bottles did (the water in the tube got warm though) and with less ice. This weekend will be the big test because temps are suppose to be in the upper 90's and maybe 100's so I will see how cool the CameBack will stay; plus I get to check to see if it will be to hot on my back to wear in these hot temps.

I have a couple of Polar bottles. They are about the best thing out there, but even they will not keep water cold for too long in our summer heat. I fill my bottles from a water cooler before heading home in the evening. I generall drink one going home and about a half riding in in the morning. It is always warm. I tend to not go to great lengths to try to keep water cold. My concern it that if I am ever toward the end of a long ride and maybe struggling a little already I don't want added psychological burden from having to drink warm water instead of nice cool water. I'm funny like that.